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So I was talking to a guy in a strategy game and it comes up that he really likes dark shows. I do too so we get to talking and so of course I recommend to him that he watch Madoka Magica and here is a rough transcript of what followed (other guy was named Lucci, which is how i figured out he was into anime so I've preserved his name):

Me: It really is the Evangelion of magical girl shows...

Lucci: Uh huh, maybe I will watch it after I finish Gintama...

Me: somehow i don't believe you...

Lucci: Well I dunno if i'll watch it it's a girls show.

Me: ...but it's really dark and intense. I promise it's awesome.

Lucci: Yeah, I know I read a review.

Me: But you don't believe me.

Lucci: I just don't really like girls shows

Me: You said you like Fate/Stay Night and Fate/Zero, this is by the same writer...

Lucci: Really?

Me: Yes.

Lucci: But it's a totally different kind of show.

Me: There's a lot of similarities...

Lucci: But it's a girls show

Me: I promise you, it's one of the best anime ever. It's free on crunchyroll.

Lucci: Thank for the rec, but I don't like girls shows.

At this point I was about to slit my wrists in frustration. What else can you say to someone like this?

It's interesting. What made him think it's a girl show? If it's about the "magical girl" genre, sure a great many of them are shoujo, but anime like MSLN are shounen/seinen, so that's a pretty bad generalization of "girl show" imo.

As soon as there's Magical Girls that's pretty much an instant girl-show label for those not as entrenched into the fandom. All Magical Girl shows suffer from this, even the less girly ones like Nanoha and Madoka are not immune.

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Well it's like I'd watch Gurren Lagunn but I wouldn't dare watch anything to do with Code Geass. Maybe your friend will wise up later that quality doesn't have anything to do with genders. Princess Tutu suffers from the same prejudice state of mind.

It's interesting. What made him think it's a girl show? If it's about the "magical girl" genre, sure a great many of them are shoujo, but anime like MSLN are shounen/seinen, so that's a pretty bad generalization of "girl show" imo.

Some people just automatically assume that if the protagonist and all the main characters are girls, it's a show for girl.

For example, people often assume Angelic Layer is a girl's show even though it is one of the most badass shounen fighters ever.

Weirdly this same guy who refued my Madoka rec told me that Higurashi was one of his favorites. I wonder why he didn't conclude that was a girls show?

Quote:

Originally Posted by creb

Letting others know what you like is one thing. But, angsting over trying to make someone else like what you like? Life's too short.

I'm not so much upset that he wasn't interested in watching the show as stunned and flabbergasted at his reasoning for why.

The whole "Appeal to young, adult men by having a cast thoroughly dominated by cute teenage girls in cute attire doing cute things (generally not including sex)" is a completely foreign (it not utterly bizarre) concept in the west (unless you're deep into the anime and/or eroge fandom).

I remember initially having the hardest time wrapping my head around the idea that K-On! is actually aimed at a young adult male audience. It really is very counter-intuitive to how entertainment works in the west.

What I'd suggest saying to your friend is this: "I know that it looks girly, but in the country that it's made, it's target audience is young adult men. And if you watch 3 or more episodes of it, you'll see why. The aesthetics are part of the dramatic twist to the show."

Also, if your friend is familiar with comic books, you might want to compare Madoka Magica to The Watchmen, and say "Just as the Watchmen uses superhero-esque attire to make its deconstructive aims more effective, Madoka Magica does the same with magical girl-esque attire."

If none of the above works on him, then you might just have to give up on him. Some people have mental blocks that they just can't get pass, sadly.